Birds and wildlife

Red Kite

Milvus milvusGroup: Kites, hawks and eaglesUK Conservation status:Green

How to identify

This magnificently graceful bird of prey is unmistakable with its reddish-brown body, angled wings and deeply forked tail. It was saved from national extinction by one of the world's longest-running protection programmes. It has now been successfully re-introduced to England and Scotland. Red Kites are listed under Schedule 1 of The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Call

Red Kite

Jens Kirkeby / xeno-canto

Protect Our Birds, Defend Our Nature

Red Kites are now a familiar sight, soaring high in the sky. They’re one of the UK’s best success stories, with the RSPB playing its part in their recovery. In just a few decades, they’ve gone from being on the brink of extinction to much higher numbers – there are now around 6,000 pairs of Red Kites in the UK. Their spectacular recovery shows that with clear and targeted action, we can help struggling species. However, there’s still work to be done. Despite their success, they are still victims of illegal persecution. 

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Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
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  12. Dec

Where best to see them

Key facts